SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) — A driver, or drivers, tore through two city-owned parks in San Jose, leaving donuts and large muddy divots.
City maintenance crews noticed the damage on Tuesday morning at Fowler Creek Park, and Mount Pleasant Park.
Residents were sad to see someone would do this. San Jose resident Lisa Deshpande used to bring her kids to Fowler when they were younger.
“I have never seen this much damage, you know. There’s other kinds of damage, like graffiti around or like pulling wires and things like that, but I have never seen anything like this. It’s so disrespectful,” Deshpande said.
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On Tuesday afternoon, we met with Amanda Rodriguez, the public information manager of the city’s Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services Department.
“These muddy conditions really led to significant damage to the grass,” Rodriguez said.
Tire marks can be seen on and off the grass throughout the parks.
Rodriguez said the estimated cost to repair the grass is upwards of $10,000.
“You know, as a department with resources that are already stretched thin, this is just us having to do more with less. So, it’s really unfortunate that the budget is going to have to go to fixing someone misusing a park instead of just the regular upkeeps of our parks,” Rodriguez said.
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Rodriguez said it’s alarming. PRNS’ message: treat parks with care.
“You’re not only impacting the city, but you’re impacting the community when you’re misusing a park like this,” Rodriguez said.
To help the San Jose Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services Department find whoever did this, the city will be filing a police report on Wednesday.
Anyone with information is encouraged to reach out to the city.
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